In a recent post, I showcased some shots I took of some mouth watering food at the Destihl restaurant for an organization named “Path”. I had almost all of my equipment at the shoot to ensure the proper lighting and give myself and Angel the maximum amount of flexibility to move around, shoot from different angels while ensuring our lighting and ultimately the food looked great. I knew the look I was going for and thanks to Ross; I understood how to manipulate the output power on my flash so I was good to go. This was my first attempt at truly shooting food and I think the results pretty much speak for themselves. One of the things that helped me was that I took time the day before to stop by the restaurant, talk with and get to know the hostess, scope out potential locations to shoot the food and check my lighting and the best solution for a background. In the past I would have either gone into things “cold” or over thought the entire process. Having a better understanding of how my equipment works made a huge difference along with my preparation. My goal for the next shoot is to do some creative things with the shoot, maybe not for the event marketing materials but maybe just for my own personal portfolio.
I have titled this post “Just do it” to say that sometimes you have to do your preparation as best you can and go for it!!! Understanding and having confidence in your talents, abilities, leveraging past experiences and making adjustments along the way are very important. Loving what you do is the fuel that will keep things going and understanding that “it” chose you and you didn’t choose it is key. I have found that putting my dreams, desires and passions out into the universe has brought growth, confidence and a desire to continue to test the limits of my abilities. This has been an awesome start to 2009 and I want to also thank everyone who reached out to me to help me realize my 2009 goals. If there are others who feel led to help me with any aspect of my 2009 goals, please feel free to contact me. I welcome the mentorship, help and support that results from collaboration.
God Bless..
P.S. More food coming this weekend to a Blog near you..
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Model in You - Part 2
We had our second kickoff meeting yesterday with another group of models after we shot the "mouth watering" food at Destihl; Manny baby, you should have hooked us up with a plate. We were both tired and made the mistake of trying to shoot in the dark. Well anyone with a digital camera knows they don't like the dark when it comes to the autofocus system. That was a BIG "note to self". Anyway, here's more diversity lookin' at you. Two down and one more meeting to go. Isn't it beautiful baby!
Preeti
Ebony
Malcolm
Preeti
Ebony
Malcolm
Joshua - Preeti's Husband
Monday, January 26, 2009
Front FOCUS
Well we are almost done with January and as promised here are my 2009 goals for the year. I have been blessed with what I have been able to accomplish in a short 26 days and here's what I am planning for the next 339. It's only through being whole again that I am able to do this and I am excited about where God will take me with the business in this stage of my maturity. I will be adding goals and hopefully checking things off each month as the year progresses but wanted to start here. I am going to use prayer and elements from "The Secret" to energize and guide my path.
On the journey.....
1. Consistently pray before getting out of bed, starting any shoot and ending my day
2. Shoot two weddings (1- second shooter and 1 primary shooter or some derivative of the two)
3. Do a shoot with another professional photographer
4. Streamline client meetings
5. Identify someone with marketing and graphic design experience that can help me with plans, logo and designs for website, Blogs and print materials.
6. Develop logo, branding and other marketing materials for business
7. Develop new business cards with new logo and theme.
8. Develop theme for business - Done (“FOCUSing on what's most important!”)
9. Add new innovative and creative elements/offering to the Blog
10. Identify opportunities for small impromptu shoots
11. Improve comfort level with on/off camera flashes, strobes and umbrellas
12. Refine my photo editing processes in Lightroom and Photoshop
13. Refine process for managing (archiving/backing up)images
14. Get work published in print (book or magazine)
15. Make time to post to other photographers Blogs
16. Start new innovative project leveraging photography - Done “The Model in You – The Beauty in Diversity”
17. Start new Blog - Done www.themodelinyou.blogspot.com
18. Consistently “Thank God” for giving me the inspiration, ability, creativity, insight and strength to pursue photography and bless others through my work!
On the journey.....
1. Consistently pray before getting out of bed, starting any shoot and ending my day
2. Shoot two weddings (1- second shooter and 1 primary shooter or some derivative of the two)
3. Do a shoot with another professional photographer
4. Streamline client meetings
5. Identify someone with marketing and graphic design experience that can help me with plans, logo and designs for website, Blogs and print materials.
6. Develop logo, branding and other marketing materials for business
7. Develop new business cards with new logo and theme.
8. Develop theme for business - Done (“FOCUSing on what's most important!”)
9. Add new innovative and creative elements/offering to the Blog
10. Identify opportunities for small impromptu shoots
11. Improve comfort level with on/off camera flashes, strobes and umbrellas
12. Refine my photo editing processes in Lightroom and Photoshop
13. Refine process for managing (archiving/backing up)images
14. Get work published in print (book or magazine)
15. Make time to post to other photographers Blogs
16. Start new innovative project leveraging photography - Done “The Model in You – The Beauty in Diversity”
17. Start new Blog - Done www.themodelinyou.blogspot.com
18. Consistently “Thank God” for giving me the inspiration, ability, creativity, insight and strength to pursue photography and bless others through my work!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Model in You (MIY)
The Model in You (The Photographers Vision…)
A love it when a plan comes together. A local photographer (Angel Sallade) and I are co-collaborating on a vision we have coined “The Model in You” (MIY); it is all about the beauty in diversity. We have BIG plans for this project and have created a new Blog titles "The Model in You" to give it its' proper marketing. Angel and I had different ideas on a few things we wanted to do this year and the more we got to talking, we realized how well our ideas complimented each other and here were are just a few short weeks later. Our mission is understanding and capturing what makes people unique as men, women and couples. People from different ethnicities, backgrounds and ages with different features, personalities and individual styles. What we are after is their “true” unrestricted self. We will be taking all of this into consideration for the way we approach the photo session (s). In the way we ask our models to dress, the destinations we choose for their photographs, the way we pose them and the feedback and instruction we give during the shoots, etc.
Our sub-theme is "fun" and through this we hope to get our models out of their shell and bringing out their style and the things that make them unique. Our tools will be diversity, contrast, high fashion, urban style, city girl vs. country girl, contemporary vs. traditional, action vs. relaxed, bridal vs. fun, etc. This will all happen through the lens of two different photographers with different perspectives, approaches, talents, experiences and gifts. This will be our gift to our young men and women and each other as we re-introduce them to themselves from different angles and use these experiences to further our talents.
We had our kickoff meeting with the group where several of them were able to attend. This is very diverse group in many ways and we're going to have a lot of fun in the process. We have Cuban, African American, Caucasian, African American/Filipino, Indian, Mexican and Mexican/Caucasian, etc). I spent time during our meeting providing them with specifics as to why we chose them and getting their input on how they'd like us to approach their shoots and things they want to be part of their portfolio. We talked locations for their shoots and many of them are willing to travel to do some Destination shots. Some of the models are not pictured but will be introducing them to you through our Blogs as we do their initial shots. In the meantime, here are some individual shots of each model and a group shot with several of our muses. Get ready, get ready, get ready!!!
A love it when a plan comes together. A local photographer (Angel Sallade) and I are co-collaborating on a vision we have coined “The Model in You” (MIY); it is all about the beauty in diversity. We have BIG plans for this project and have created a new Blog titles "The Model in You" to give it its' proper marketing. Angel and I had different ideas on a few things we wanted to do this year and the more we got to talking, we realized how well our ideas complimented each other and here were are just a few short weeks later. Our mission is understanding and capturing what makes people unique as men, women and couples. People from different ethnicities, backgrounds and ages with different features, personalities and individual styles. What we are after is their “true” unrestricted self. We will be taking all of this into consideration for the way we approach the photo session (s). In the way we ask our models to dress, the destinations we choose for their photographs, the way we pose them and the feedback and instruction we give during the shoots, etc.
Our sub-theme is "fun" and through this we hope to get our models out of their shell and bringing out their style and the things that make them unique. Our tools will be diversity, contrast, high fashion, urban style, city girl vs. country girl, contemporary vs. traditional, action vs. relaxed, bridal vs. fun, etc. This will all happen through the lens of two different photographers with different perspectives, approaches, talents, experiences and gifts. This will be our gift to our young men and women and each other as we re-introduce them to themselves from different angles and use these experiences to further our talents.
We had our kickoff meeting with the group where several of them were able to attend. This is very diverse group in many ways and we're going to have a lot of fun in the process. We have Cuban, African American, Caucasian, African American/Filipino, Indian, Mexican and Mexican/Caucasian, etc). I spent time during our meeting providing them with specifics as to why we chose them and getting their input on how they'd like us to approach their shoots and things they want to be part of their portfolio. We talked locations for their shoots and many of them are willing to travel to do some Destination shots. Some of the models are not pictured but will be introducing them to you through our Blogs as we do their initial shots. In the meantime, here are some individual shots of each model and a group shot with several of our muses. Get ready, get ready, get ready!!!
Maday
Angela - Maday's twin separated at Birth; Just kidding but these two are crazy!!!
Barb
Rob - her hubby
Jamie
Tomeika
Jaime again - I really like this shot
The Group w/Angel and I at the bottom (Thanks Chris)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
My Comfort Zone
My comfort zone is being behind the camera where I belong but I needed to do some quick self portraits for my Blog, website and college alumni roundup. So, I got out the pocket wizards, my camera, light stand, flash and off I went . Back and forth from in front of the camera to the view screen to see how things turned out. I did these quickly in Black and White and they turned out pretty good. I love photography and sometimes the photographer needs to be the "FOCUS of what's most important..." SO it is done
Monday, January 5, 2009
FOCUSing on what's most important...
I have been thinking through my 2008, how I ushered in 2009 and how I want to frame my work in 2009. I am still working through my goals, focus, business plan, workshops I want to attend and will have everything completed by the end of the month. With the help of a friend, I was able to narrow down the focus statement for my work and business.
None of us know how long we will have each other and those that are close to us. Sometimes we take for granted the little things in life and precious moments and miss out on the very blessing we have in each other and telling those we love how much they mean to us. How many times have you gotten so caught up in the process of doing something or attending an event that you can't even enjoy it or are not "present" through it although your body is physically there. It is my desire to recognize this in my own life but help other capture these moments by FOCUSing on what's most important.... Their Love, Friendship on Fire!!!
I hope my fellow photographers, Bloggers and others reading this Blog join me on this journey in 2009. So if you didn't catch it, the theme for my business and work with be "FOCUSing on what's most important..." God bless each of you on your individual and collective journey's in 2009.
David
None of us know how long we will have each other and those that are close to us. Sometimes we take for granted the little things in life and precious moments and miss out on the very blessing we have in each other and telling those we love how much they mean to us. How many times have you gotten so caught up in the process of doing something or attending an event that you can't even enjoy it or are not "present" through it although your body is physically there. It is my desire to recognize this in my own life but help other capture these moments by FOCUSing on what's most important.... Their Love, Friendship on Fire!!!
I hope my fellow photographers, Bloggers and others reading this Blog join me on this journey in 2009. So if you didn't catch it, the theme for my business and work with be "FOCUSing on what's most important..." God bless each of you on your individual and collective journey's in 2009.
David
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Breaking Dawn
Well the New Year is here and 2008 is but a memory. I am not much into New Years resolutions but do believe in looking back in order to acknowledge your forward progress. I got up early this morning and noticed this sky as it was coming over the house. To me it signifies a new day, new hope, new opportunities and a time to renew our faith.
2008 brought many changes for each of us personally, for the United States and this Big Blue Ball we call planet earth. In 20 days the First Black President of the United States will be sworn in which will provide the U.S. and entire world with new hope, faith and a new outlook to realize our dreams. New Hope does not come without sacrifices and we all know what that's looked like in the solace of our hearts but like the bible says "Weeping May Endure for a Night but Joy Commeth in the Morning".
I don't know what "joy" looks like for each of you but I want to wish everyone many blessing and love in 2009. I pray it will be life changing in a way that ministers to your soul. I appreciate the feedback I received on my "Group Participation" post and will be using prayer, Blog feedback and others I have received to develop my direction for 2009. I will be incorporating much more C.R.A.P into my photo's and approach in 2009; more on CRAP later but the photographers understand the meaning.
God Bless...
David
2008 brought many changes for each of us personally, for the United States and this Big Blue Ball we call planet earth. In 20 days the First Black President of the United States will be sworn in which will provide the U.S. and entire world with new hope, faith and a new outlook to realize our dreams. New Hope does not come without sacrifices and we all know what that's looked like in the solace of our hearts but like the bible says "Weeping May Endure for a Night but Joy Commeth in the Morning".
I don't know what "joy" looks like for each of you but I want to wish everyone many blessing and love in 2009. I pray it will be life changing in a way that ministers to your soul. I appreciate the feedback I received on my "Group Participation" post and will be using prayer, Blog feedback and others I have received to develop my direction for 2009. I will be incorporating much more C.R.A.P into my photo's and approach in 2009; more on CRAP later but the photographers understand the meaning.
God Bless...
David
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